“Today, in our field, there is so much talent and recognition that we are reaching a saturation point. An artist should no longer strive only for breathtaking craftsmanship; he should, instead, try to help us live better, either by dressing the wounds that are constantly being opened by society, or by offering solutions to get us out of the mess we’re in…But it’s going to be difficult and we have a lot of work to do.” - Jean 'Moebius' Giraud

Monday, September 14, 2009

SCHENGEN NIGHTMARE_commission

Did you know that in order to travel into Europe into the area known as the SCHENGEN TERRITORY and you are not a United States citizen - but hold a Permanent Resident status in the U.S. - you need a visa called (apropos) 'SCHENGEN VISA'?

Did you also know that the REQUIREMENTS and pre-requisites in order to obtain such a visa, depending on which country within the Schengen Territory is your point of entry, is very (let me emphasize VERY) specific, tedious and absolute?

Did you also, also know that on average (stipulating that everything with the visa application is accepted, approved and barring any sort of problems due to oversight from either the applicant or the issuer) the turn-around time for such a visa lingers around 15 business days?

And finally, did you know that an average plaster covered bedroom wall has the tolerance of about twenty or thirty good hits from my bare forehead being rammed against it before it shows any kind of distress that will soon need repair and a fresh coat of paint?

A. He's a moron and didn't know about this thing called a 'Schengen Visa' and was embarrassingly turned away at the airport counter.

B. He's busy at home, working on ASM #611 and grumbling about said visa and not being able to go on vacation.

C. He's busy at home, working on commissions like the ones you see above and grumbling about said visa and not being able to go on vacation.

D. All of the above.

Mmm-boy! It's shaping up to be a GREAT week! Sometimes I just wish Jeff Goldblum got that teleportation machine right the third time around - you know... minus the merging with the house fly so's I can be someplace else already.

ah yes I remember applying for a Shengen Visa back in the 90s. Lucky for me I got mine and got to get to where I was going. But yes, I think it was all quite tedious.

I feel your pain, today I am supposed to be snowboarding in the New Zealand alps and instead I am sitting in my damned studio while my plane (which I have paid for) flies away without me on it. I didn't get paid enough, in time, to go. Bloody freelance illustration. So, I will wallow in self pity with you. And look at the snow instead on a web cam. #%!!Oh, and Nice illustration ! As always!